Railfuture President Christian Wolmar presents Derek Potter of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group with the Best Campaign Award

Railfuture President Christian Wolmar today presented the first-ever Awards to local
Rail Users Groups for their various contributions to rail campaigning. At Railfuture's
annual conference for rail users in Birmingham, nine awards were presented in
categories for best newsletter, best website, best campaign, best new group, best
campaigner, and a Judges' Special Award. The judging panel comprised Christian
Wolmar and Vice-Presidents Ian Brown, Barry Doe and Adrian Shooter.

The gold award for best newsletter went to the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, with
silver for the Huddersfield-Penistone-Sheffield Rail Users Association and a
commendation for the Friends of Denton Station.
The gold award for best website went to the Meldreth-Shepreth-Foxton Rail User
Group, with silver for the Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group.
The Cotswold Line Promotion Group also took home the award for best campaign,
while the Meldreth-Shepreth-Foxton Rail User Group captured the award for best
new group.
The best campaigner was judged to be Susan van de Ven, Chair of the Meldreth-
Shepreth-Foxton Rail User Group.
The Judges' Special Award went to Tony Smale, the Railfuture member who edits
the Rail Users Express newsletter and compiles the Directory of 300 Rail Users
Groups nationwide.

Awards presenter Christian Wolmar commented "These new awards recognise the
special contribution rail users groups and their volunteers make to campaigning for
improvements to railway services and stations. Too often their efforts pass
unremarked and unrewarded. As the national champion of railway development and
rail users, Railfuture has taken the initiative with these innovative awards."